Governor Rick Perry today announced that the Governor's Criminal Justice Division (CJD) is providing additional funding for Texas Crime Stoppers and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to increase rewards for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders program to $2,000, with some rewards reaching up to $5,000.

"Crime Stoppers has created an effective method for helping citizens take back control of their communities," Gov. Perry said. "These rewards will encourage Texans who may have details about these sex offenders to speak up, ensuring that individuals who commit these horrendous crimes in the Lone Star State are apprehended and receive the appropriate punishment."

Texas Crime Stoppers has previously rewarded $1,000 cash to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of these sex offenders. Thanks to this increased funding from CJD, awards will now vary between $2,000, $3,000 or $5,000 for each offender.

"Sexual assault is a despicable crime, and increasing the rewards will better enable law enforcement to apprehend sex offenders who have preyed upon innocent victims and escaped arrest," DPS Director Steven C. McCraw said.

Since the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders program began in July 2010, 12 arrests have been made, with seven arrests coming from tips. The Office of the Governor has paid out a total of $13,300 in rewards to tipsters.

In 2010, Gov. Perry announced increased rewards to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives program from $1,000 to $5,000, with some rewards reaching up to $50,000 to any person providing information that leads to the arrest of a Top 10 fugitive. Since the reward increase, 24 arrests have been made, and the Office of the Governor has paid out $58,000 in rewards to tipsters.

Anyone with information about Texas' Most Wanted sex offenders or fugitives can provide anonymous tips by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477), or by texting the letters DPS - followed by your tip - to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.